Eero Saarinen (1910-1961) was a Finnish-American architect and industrial designer who became one of the most influential modernist architects and designers of the mid-20th century, known for his bold, sculptural forms that pushed the boundaries of both architecture and furniture design. Born in Finland to architect Eliel Saarinen, he immigrated to the United States as a child and studied sculpture and architecture at Yale before establishing his own practice.

Saarinen gained international recognition for iconic buildings like the TWA Flight Center at JFK Airport with its soaring, bird-like concrete shell, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, and Dulles International Airport, all of which demonstrated his mastery of sweeping curves and innovative structural engineering. Simultaneously, he revolutionized furniture design with pieces like the Tulip chair and Womb chair, applying the same organic, flowing aesthetic that characterized his architecture. Though his career was cut short when he died of a brain tumor at age 51, Saarinen left behind a legacy of ground-breaking designs that seamlessly blended artistic vision with technological innovation, establishing him as a pivotal figure who helped define the optimistic, space-age aesthetic of post-war American modernism.